Logan at 9 months

Logan had his 9 months checkup yesterday, and I can't believe how quickly the time has gone. He did his best to charm Dr. J, completely shred the paper on the table, and see how quickly he could wiggle down. Trying to contain a naked, frisky baby and pay attention to the what the doc is saying is always a challenge. His stats are:
18lbs 3oz 10th percentile
28 inches 30th percentile
and although I don't know his head circumference, it is the 5th percentile. Yes, our guy is little! He's a good eater though, and the doc wasn't a bit concerned. He said that developmentally, he is right on target. Even the paper thing is one of the markers he looks at as I sheepishly tried to contain The Shredder. Logan is now allowed more foods like egg yolk and non-milk dairy. What the..? Cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt are all fine, but no mac n cheese, where we would be adding milk to the dish. He is still not allowed egg whites, nuts or honey, which is standard. Logan has an allergist appointment soon, so Dr. J said that doc may give some different parameters. He also told us no citrus, including strawberries. oops. Since we explained that he's been eating strawberries for about two weeks, he conceded that obviously they aren't a problem. Logan's lungs sounded clear, with no wheezing. Yippee! The only problem is that he has a double ear infection, and apparently it's a good one. Really? We had no idea, so that was a surprise. Of course, in hindsight I can see the signs, but didn't make the connection, and even now don't see him fussing about it. (Saturday night he was very hard to get to sleep, but I chalked it up to our house being nearly 90 degrees. Sunday night he fussed at bedtime, but he was really tired. He did swat at his ear a couple times, but he also slaps his own head, so it didn't get much attention from me. During the day he is not at all fussy.) Dr. J prescribed antibiotics again, told us to come back to recheck in 3 weeks, and Logan has avoided his shots once again. Mind you, he never got his 6 month shots, little bugger.

We were appropriately advised to babyproof everything since he is now everywhere. Really, like we hadn't noticed! Dr. J also repeatedly advised us that he should not be eating catfood. I guess we shouldn't have tried to illustrate the point of him being everywhere by describing finding him standing in the cats’ water, shoveling fat fistfuls of kibble into his mouth. Apparently, cat kibble is not an approved snack. Go figure.

Logan loves to eat, and has decided table food is the way to go. The jars have gone by the wayside, but he still loves his cereal. He is a little fresser (Fresser Desser?), eating way more than we think he could. He isn't picky, but once he is done, there is nothing getting passed those lips. He eats fruits, veggies, meats, all without a particular preference, although sausage is met with great approval and impatience between bites. I suspect his weight will catch up shortly as his appetite catches up to his new mobility. He nurses each morning and once or twice in the evening, depending on how the timing works out. He gets two pumped bottles each day, and daycare often gives him a bottle of formula as well.

This particular age is really among my favorite times with a baby. Logan is so incredibly charming, and such a happy little guy. He has a smile that lights up his face, and that of anyone around him. Just when you think it has been turned on full force, he kicks it up a notch, and it gets even brighter. He loves to talk and babble with several sounds- da da, ma ma, ya ya, fa fa, ga ga. Sometimes they are repeated, sometimes yelled or used with different inflections. Raspberries are constant, and done with such irreverance that it cracks us up. He also still sucks his bottom lip to his top gum to make a kissing sound. He still makes his "dolphin noise" prompting us to call him Flipper. It is a happy sound and one we can usually get him to repeat when he really gets going. Even his teachers make him do this since it is so funny, and something he has done since birth. He loves to giggle, especially when nuzzled in his ribs or under one side of his jaw. (No, I'm not sure which side, although I think it is his right. It's hit and miss with me, but a definite Daddy spot.) He turns that little face up, exposing his jaw so we can get in there. Often, he sticks his tongue out now as if in deep concentration, and sometimes just to see what it can do.

He is cruising, pulling himself up on everything. He can go up single steps (haven’t seen him try a staircase), and isn't at all phased getting up onto our hearth, which is about 18" off the ground. He has no problem getting down, but usually isn't too pleased with the result of toppling down onto the floor, usually bumping his head. He enjoys manipulating things, opening and closing things, putting things in and out of a container, seeing how they work. He crawls everywhere, and we can even get him to hurry by cheering him on. This is hilarious to see him slapping those little hands down, shuffling along with a huge grin, excited to get someplace else, wherever that may be. Logan loves water whether in the bathtub, or the wading pool outside. He crawls and splashes, sometimes tumbling over without a sputter or whimper. I have to watch him so carefully though as I have fished him out from under the surface twice in the last couple days. Again, he didn't even seem to care. He loves to chase after and play with Hayden, who is all over Logan these days. Logan also stalks the kitties, fascinated by those creatures who reside on his eye level. The cats are indifferent, but we don't really want him too immersed in them, fearing the wheezing will start again.

Everywhere we go, Logan attracts attention, engaging everyone around him with those intense blue eyes and huge grin. Waitresses take him around the restaurants, and our friends snuggle up to him giving me a hard time when he doesn’t come to book club. C’mon, this mommy needs a night off now and then! Overall, he is such a delicious little baby and I am trying to savor each moment, since it is such a fleeting time.